Plan for gas line sparks heated reaction

By Sören Wuerth 

TNews Editor 

A planned gas line that would slice a 20-foot wide, nearly mile-long clearcut swath across undisturbed forested land and trails in Girdwood has drawn criticism for its short comment period, potential rate increases, harm to old-growth forest, and lack of consideration of alternatives routes. 

When the plan was announced days prior to an Enstar presentation before the Girdwood Board of Supervisors at its July 17 meeting, area residents expressed immediate concern. 

"Enstar comes down [to the area] at least weekly. They could've at least put notices on people's doors. They didn't bother," said Mary Jo Thill, who lives near where the line would end. "You don't just show up and say, 'hey this what we're doing in two weeks.' It's just wrong." 

Other residents said they were caught, in the middle of summer, flat-footed. 

"This train is leaving the station and I'm trying to run down the platform to see where we're going," Mitch Roth said at the meeting. 

Enstar, the gas company proposing the line extension, wants to lay a 4-inch pipeline between Ruane Road and Virgin Creek Road in the lower valley. The company would drill beneath Glacier Creek to install the new gas line. The project is an effort to supplement an existing gas line in the event the existing pipe fails. 

Enstar's point person on the project, Sterling Lopez, spoke at the GBOS meeting. Yannick Calvez, the point-person at the agency permitting the project--the Department of Natural Resources--did not respond to voice and email messages from Turnagain News seeking comment. 

At the meeting, Lopez said there are other permits that would be required. 

"I realize that a 14 day public comment period seems pretty limited," Lopez said, " ...unfortunately this is where we're at now." He said no public comment period is required for section line easements. 

Lopez said the main purpose for the project is "viability". From a distribution center near Ruane Drive, there is a sole gas feed, along Alyeska Highway, that feeds the entire valley. 

"So the risks that that has is if there is damage to that system it brings down service to every single user of natural gas down the system," he said. 

But some residents said they are happy to run that risk.

"If we have to do without it for awhile. That's life. We'll make it work. But this is not acceptable," Thill said, echoing others who questioned Enstar's motivation for the project. 

When an alternative was suggested at the meeting--running the pipeline up Karolius Drive where there is an existing road--Lopez said the route would be unfeasible because it would have to cross land owned by Heritage Land Bank, an office of the Municipality of Anchorage. 

But, Shelly Rowton, a former land bank manager, said Enstar never contacted her agency and, had they, she would have suggested alternatives. 

"To say that you don't have answers three days before the end of the comment period is obscene," Rowton said. 

"I think you're trying to pull one over on the town of Girdwood and you should really be ashamed to say that you came in here to listen. You're not here to listen. You're just here to save a little bit of face and then say you're just going to go on with this project," she said. 

"You're going to go through old-growth forest that cannot be replaced. You say you're going to do 15 feet, but you're written answer says you're going to do 20 feet. You're going to destroy the character of the Joe Danich trail. You're going to destroy the character of the Iditarod National Historic Trail. I doubt you've been in contact with the US Forest Service." 

Lopez admitted Enstar hadn't contacted USFS. He also could provide no estimate on the cost of the project. 

Following testimony, in which no one spoke in favor of the gas line plan, the board voted to request more time for public comment and asked DNR to deny the project. 

Besides short notice, many in the community are upset by what would amount to a mile-long clearcut of pristine forest. 

"It's going to tear the hell out of everything," said Larry Holmes, a longtime resident and former GBOS supervisor. "You have a significant number of trees that are hundreds of years old, primary growth trees. I'm not a greenie. I'm not an environmentalist. I'm not a NIMBY. I've lived here since '86. I realize communities have growth. They have needs." 

"But there's a process that should take place. The public should be involved and they weren't in this. It's not acceptable. It's not what the public in Girdwood deserves," he said. 

The state Department of Natural Resources, which is permitting the project, agreed to extend the deadline until August 3.